Seeking an enthusiastic FCP editor to take on at least one episode of a limited series doc project intended for public television. If you or someone you know might be a good fit, I'd love to get in touch or hear any and all recommendations!

The Film: "The Times of John McDonogh" (working title) tells the story of the startling bequest to education that a single eccentric millionaire made upon his death in 1850, how that bequest led, by 2006, to the creation of both some of the most blighted public schools and one of the most privileged private schools in the US and how, in the current tumultuous moment in education, each of these disparate schools is now fighting to either re-make itself or protect the things that made it strong in the first place.

Creatively, the aim is to interweave two distinct narrative approaches. First are the stories, told via verite footage, of specific teachers and students at five of the schools that still bear this founder's name and legacy today (two traditional public schools in New Orleans, two more newly-chartered public schools in New Orleans, and one private school in Baltimore) as they live and teach over the course of one pivotal school year. The second is the historical narrative of how these five schools evolved from one man's very specific, utopian vision to such contrasting places along our contemporary spectrum of education. With these two stories intertwined, the twists, turns, and questions raised along the way lead straight through many of the turning points of segregation, political gamesmanship, neglect, and socio-economic inequality that have shaped US schools from the beginning.

Project Status: The wealth of material involved is both blessing and curse. We shot, over the course of the school year we spent in the schools, 300 (!) hours of verite footage of (and interviews with) a select group of teachers, students, and administrators. What's more, there's a rich and surprising array of archival material about the history of the schools to pull from, much of it already gathered together by the production. But there is also a very clear plan. Every inch of the footage is meticulously logged, all of the interviews are thoroughly sub-clipped and labelled, and a paper script outline is in place for the series from start to finish, scene by scene, both for the compelling contemporary characters and the historical narratives, and the ways they might well intermix. We have a work-in-progress-trailer (I can send it to you upon request) and there's a rough assembly of most of the first episode.

What We're Looking For: Over the next five months, our goal is to edit as many episodes of the series as we can manage (at minimum three, with the other three to follow thereafter). Though we could work with someone who could only foreseeably tackle one. To date, all of the editing work has been done by me, the beleaguered, lone gunman producer/director, and while my enthusiasm for the material runneth over, I am neither a very good, nor particularly fast, editor, nor do I have the distance from the material that would probably help the process most at this point. So we're seeking a sharp editor who'd be excited about helping shape this kaleidoscope of specific stories into something awesome. While I'm working on a first-time indie doc-maker's meager budget, I'm not expecting someone to work for free either, so we could talk more about what might make sense for a rate in the short term. Grant writing will soon be in progress. I'm in Los Angeles, and would prefer to work with someone local, though I wouldn't rule out other arrangements. The editor would need their own FC7 system. My hunch is this would not be the right undertaking for a first-time feature doc editor, considering the expansive and interlocking nature of the raw material (not to mention my own green-ness). But someone with a practiced hand and eye would, I suspect, find the way well-paved for a really rewarding collaboration, no ego involved. More than anything, I hope to find someone (this is starting to sound like a dreamy-eyed singles ad) who is passionate about social documentary storytelling, curious about looking at the same subject from different angles, and excited about young people, teachers, and the inner lives of schools.

If you'd like to find out more, or recommend someone, I'd love to hear from you. I'm at stephen.deline(at)gmail(dot)com or 410-960-2098. Thanks!

PatchWorks Films (www.patchworksfilms.net) is a San Francisco-based production and distribution company making documentaries that explore contemporary social issues via intimate character stories, while forming innovative partnerships with key stakeholders. Our award-winning documentaries have been broadcast worldwide and have screened at theaters, film festivals, schools, universities, museums, libraries and community events. Our last film â€œSpeaking In Tonguesâ€ (www.speakingintonguesfilm.info) broadcast on PBS stations across the country last fall, and we are deep into our next film â€œGot Balz?â€ (www.gotbalzfilm.info) about a boyâ€™s struggle to donate baseball equipment to kids in Cuba despite the U.S. embargo.

We are seeking an unpaid intern to work in our office (Richmond district, San Francisco) 5-10 hours per week for approx. 6 months, helping us finish our new film and distribute â€œSpeaking In Tonguesâ€ and our other titles. There may be some assistant editing work but the majority of the work is assistant producing. This is a great opportunity to learn about the real work life of an independent filmmaker (10% production, 90% producing), while contributing to films that have impact and exposure.

Duties and responsibilities:
â€¢ Database management & data entry (knowledge of Filemaker a plus!)
â€¢ Internet and sales research
â€¢ Social media and website management
â€¢ Generic admin and office duties such as mailing, shipping, filing, and record-keeping
â€¢ Errands and other miscellaneous tasks that come up in the course of things.

Extra-desirable qualities:
â€¢ Can bring your own Mac laptop (some work may be done from home as well)
â€¢ Have a valid CA driverâ€™s license (having your own car is a plus but not necessary)
â€¢ Have a desire to do what it takes to get great documentaries made and seen

Please send a LETTER OF INTEREST in addition to your RESUME to pwfilmssfo[at]gmail[dot]com with all requests directed to Rebecca Chan.

Explain what you are looking for in an internship and why you think you are a good match for PatchWorks.

Hello! I'm currently working on a fantastic project for PBS – part of which was shot in Cambodia – and I need a few qualified Khmer translators to help us out in the edit room. Ideally, we need someone based in NY, but we can also send out footage if need be. Fully paid @ a very competitive rate.

If you know anyone, please write me back at dan[at]showofforce[dot]com

How can niche films find profitable audiences?
The pros & cons of new digital outlets.
Why are DVD sales still the largest source of revenue for most films?
How do I find an educational distributor that's right for my film?
How to set up a paid speaking tour.
How & where can I set up community screenings or "theatrical events"?

It's no surprise that many distributors and filmmakers depend on social media channels to promote their film. But is anyone listening? Are clicks resulting in sales? If you're new to social media marketing or looking for new ideas to improve your existing campaigns, come attend this savvy interactive social media marketing workshop and learn the following from industry experts Allen Chou and Diana Iles Parker:

Revenue opportunities for your film.
Building audiences & buzz!
Developing your NEW influential & authoritative status.
How to develop endless content ideas for your Twitter and Facebook campaigns.
Finding your target audience.
How to use lesser-known but still effective platforms to broaden the reach of your social media strategies.

Panel 3: Didn't Get Into Sundance? No Worries.
Learn How to Go Beyond Big Name Festivals to Secure Distribution
4:00pm – 5:30pm

Every year, thousands of films are not accepted into Sundance, yet many still become BIG hits. Learn from industry experts on how the former "Plan B" of distribution could surprise you as being your NEW "Plan A"! Panelist include: Brian Newman, Mat Levy, Josh Levin, Mike Grice, & Michael Tuckman.

Why films can still be highly successful without any major festival exposure.
What other factors do distributors consider beyond being an "official selection".
Securing theatrical distribution – Is it worth the expense?
How can a publicist or social meida campaign help?
Building a fan base with every festival appearance.
The pro's & con's of DIY self-distribution. Decision time?

Hey D-Word people,
I'm looking for a camera person in Omaha, NE. Anyone got a contact there that I could reach out to?
I prefer if they have their own equipment and it would be super if it were panasonic, but not essential.

The Red Rock Film Festival still has plenty of room in the Documentary Featurette and Documentary Short-Short categories as well as the Young Filmmaker Documentary, Documentary Feature and Documentary Short standards. But, of course, it's not until November. https://www.withoutabox.com/login/4410

Join director Mike Day and writer Jennifer Merin (About.com) for a screening of his documentary "The Guga Hunters of Ness" at UnionDocs.

â€œA gorgeously shot documentary feature that takes viewers into the heart of this ancient tradition, celebrating its longevity and lamenting its decline without once being patronizing, overly worthy or dull. The Guga Hunters Of Ness is poetic, haunting, its beautiful imagery making it hard to look away.â€ â€“ EYE FOR FILM

UnionDocs is a non-profit center for documentary arts based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY.

For more details and to purchase tickets, check out the event post here:

Package 1: Office + Optional Desks: $1500/month each
â€“ two approx 115 square feet offices available (see attached pdf for details)
â€“ each office comes with optional access to a discount on desks in the main room for $325/month each

Im a Documentary Filmaker (www.alifeascending.com) four weeks from launching the film on DVD and itunes and I just lost the person managing the website, ecommerce, and digital marketing. Looking to hire someone or more than one person immedietely to help with some
website changes (wordpress) to connect and test the shopping cart (1shopping cart) and someone to keep the social media and online marketing campaign on track to launch date and past.

UNIONDOCS WORKSHOP: Can Documentaries Change the World? Assessing, Funding, and Harnessing the Social Impact of Nonfiction Film

Sunday, February 12th at 4:00pm, $15

Filmmaker and activist Judith Helfand (Everything's Cool), philanthropist and filmmaker Abigail Disney (Pray the Devil Back to Hell), and Debika Shome (The Harmony Institute), in conversation with distributor Caitlin Boyle (Film Sprout), as they explore the promise and potential of documentary to effect social change.

UnionDocs is a non-profit center for documentary arts based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY.

For more details and to purchase tickets, check out the event post here:

London's successful Documentary Summit is coming to Washington DC on March 10th and 11th, 2012. This intensive 2 day event is hosted by the authors of The Documentary Film Makers Handbook in association with The Documentary Center at The George Washington University.

The 2 days are filled with panels that will take you through EVERY step of the process including storytelling, fundraising, cutting edge filmmaking techniques, distribution, and social media strategies. Our visiting documentary experts include successful & critically acclaimed filmmakers and producers, commissioning editors, foundation directors, social media gurus, DSLR and HD experts, as well as distributors and online platform Dynamo Player's founder, Rob Millis.

For more information and to book tickets, go to www.documentarysummit.com and click Washington DC. Early bird price for the 2 day event is only $99 (normally $149) until February 10th. Seating is limited so book now!

Looking to rent a DVC Pro deck to digitize some tapes shot on DVC-Pro 50. Does anyone know of any affordable rentals in the DC/MD/VA area? Or of places that would give an indie filmmaker a deal on digitizing 7-8 tapes to a drive? Thanks!

Our next DocuClub screening will take place on Thursday, February 23, at 7p.m., at DCTV, located at 87 Lafayette (at Walker).

This month, we will screen a rough cut of "Miracle on 42nd Street" by Alice Elliot. The film documents the unique apartment complex called Manhattan Plaza located in Manhattanâ€™s historic theatre district, a neighborhood also known as Hellâ€™s Kitchen. Located on the block between 42nd and 43rd Streets, it is often called the â€œMiracle on 42nd Streetâ€ due to the near-miraculous effect the complex has had on the once-blighted neighborhood and on the lives of its residents. Seventy percent of the occupants work in the performing arts and thirty percent are Hellâ€™s Kitchen residents who are elderly, disabled or have been relocated from substandard housing. The film tells the story of how this innovative affordable housing experiment came to be, the artists it has nurtured, the close community its residents and management have created and the positive impact it has had on the economy of Manhattanâ€™s West Side. By making this film, the filmmakers want to tell the story of the pioneering people, community leaders, government and business people who joined together to resurrect a blighted neighborhood. To watch a trailer of the film, please go to: http://miracleon42ndstreet.org/home.

Director Alice Elliott is an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker whose films are dedicated to celebrating the role of community activism in elevating the quality of peopleâ€™s lives.

Producer Mary Jo Slater was an original tenant of Manhattan Plaza. As a working single mother, she was able to launch a successful career as an award-winning casting director while also supporting the career of her son, actor Christian Slater.

Producer Nancy Perkins lived in Manhattan Plaza in the 1980s along with her actor husband, Ron Perkins, where she began a successful career in casting, rising to become head of casting at Universal Television Studios for fourteen years.

Editor/Producer Lisa Shreve has lived in Manhattan Plaza since the building opened and resides there today, working as an editor of award-winning documentary and narrative films.

Producer Erika Lockridge of Bahr Productions has joined on as a producer because of her belief in the Manhattan Plaza concept of affordable housing.

Producer Cindy Cowan is currently producing the feature "Red Lights" (starring Robert DeNiro).

Our moderator will be Caitlin Boyle. A leading champion of grassroots and community distribution for independent films, Boyle is the architect of national screening and audience outreach initiatives for dozens of feature documentaries, including "King Corn," "Pray the Devil Back to Hell," "The End of the Line," "A Small Act" and "Bag It." Previously on staff at NPR affiliates WFIU and WFUV and PBS affiliate Thirteen/WNET, she is a graduate of Columbia University and the Indiana University Graduate School of Journalism. Her workshops and presentations have rallied filmmakers at SXSW, Hot Docs, Independent Film Week, Sheffield Doc/Fest, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and The New York Foundation for the Arts. She serves on the board of Brooklyn documentary arts center UnionDocs, and on the advisory board of New York Universityâ€™s Tisch School of the Arts Research Institute for the Advancement of Cinema Arts and Commerce. To learn more about her film services, visit: www.filmsprout.org.

Hello filmmakers! My nonprofit is launching a new short (very short... 5 min. and less) film competition on the topic of mental health. The winning film will be used in our education, advocacy and field-building work on college campuses and nonprofits around the U.S., plus win $1,000 award for future work.

I hope some of you will consider putting something together for this. The quality of the work will really determine the caliber of nonprofit partners we can attract, and I know we've got some heavyweights on this list! We already have some pretty major players (national NGOs) interested in using the films in their work – assuming it's well done. In many ways this is about using your film to create positive change through dialogue.

If you have comments, or questions, please get in touch: cary [at] artwithimpact.org and more info is on our website: artwithimpact.org

Washington DC-area folks, Docs In Progress has two programs this week:

Thursday, February 9 from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, MD)
We'll be screening a documentary by one of our alums, Lillie Paquette. WE ARE EGYPT looks at the story behind the story of 2011's Arab Spring. The 85-minute film showcases Egyptâ€™s passionate democracy activists who toiled for years before seeing success from their sacrifice. It is an account of their struggle against extraordinary odds to remove an uncompromising authoritarian regime determined to stay in power. Following the screening, filmmaker Lillie Paquette will answer questions about the film. This is a free community screening and no tickets are required. More info at http://docsinprogress.org/events/38/free-alumni-screening-of-we-are-egypt/

Sunday, February 12 from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm at the Goethe Institut (812 Seventh Street, NW Washington DC)
We'll be offering a special Docs In Progress work-in-progress screening at the Our City Film Festival. This is an opportunity to provide feedback on story and character development to a documentary filmmaker presenting a not-quite-finished version of a film while you also support the festivalâ€™s sponsor Yachad, a nonprofit dedicated to affordable housing and community development in Washington DC. The rough cut being screened is Ellie Walton's FLY BY LIGHT which follows a group of DC high school students as they go through a transformational journey in the mountains of West Virginia. Tickets are $10 and can be ordered through Our City Film Festival's website

We'll also be at the Center for Social Media's Media That Matters Conference on Friday and Saturday and hope to see many of you there.